Level B2 Writing

The students' performance in these tasks suggest that they are working within the range of Level B2 in Writing. The assessing teacher will need to consider a range of student samples in order to determine whether each student is at the beginning of B2, consolidating B2 or at the B2 standard in Writing.

At beginning Level B2 students:

• write their own simple texts for different purposes in guided contexts
• draw on models provided and use repetitive structures in an attempt to write longer texts
• produce writing that is still reflective of their everyday spoken English and which includes marked EAL features (for example, sometimes leaving out articles and verb endings and making errors with verb tenses) as they become more confident in experimenting with oral and written English
• attempt to spell new words using their own pronunciation and write familiar words accurately.

At consolidating Level B2 students:

• continue to write their own simple creative and informational texts for classroom purposes with support and they begin to include some details that help orient the reader
• produce writing that begins to include features of written-like language however it is still influenced mostly by their spoken language
• produce writing that shows varying control over grammatical features such as subject–verb agreement, tense, noun-pronoun reference and articles
• spell most monosyllabic and many high frequency words accurately.

At Level B2 Achievement Standard students:

• write for a range of purposes on familiar topics
• write simple, organised texts demonstrating a developing use of specific vocabulary and simple sentence structures
• demonstrate an understanding of the purposes of common text types, and their structures and features
• produce written texts that include basic information and detail
• use a number of common conjunctions to link ideas, using pronoun references with some noun–pronoun agreement, simple phrases to express basic comparisons, and some basic punctuation with consistency
• make plausible attempts to spell new words based on known English letter–sound relationships and use a range of strategies for spelling words, checking word lists or keeping personal dictionaries
• base new sentences on known sentence structures
• draw on a developing knowledge of the writing process to plan and write simple texts, and with support, redraft them
• use more advanced software functions to write, edit and present their texts.
  

Student information

The student was born in Australia and speaks Hindi as their home language. The student began school in Foundation in Victoria and is currently in Year 3.

Task

The students completed a number of Science experiments in a unit of work about sound, including making a telephone from paper cups and strings. The students jointly constructed an explanation about one of the experiments with the teacher. After a discussion about how a telephone made from paper cups and string works, the students were asked to write their own explanation.

The analysis is based on the student's writing before correction.

Text

HOW TelephoNes works?

First tork in the cup. from the cup it goe's to the string and it goes farst and it's named vibrates and it gos to the cup. IF the string is loose the souND it go's Slow and it goes to the loos wuN it go's slow as well because it's not vibrates.

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can:

• Write simple factual texts (VCEALC376)
• Add visual information to written texts (VCEALC375)
• Write using language that is beginning to reflect the features of written language more than the features of spoken language (VCEALA379)
• Use heading and text formats appropriate to the task (VCEALL387)
• Use simple time sequence markers and pronoun references to connect ideas in a text (VCEALL389)
• Write sentences with some common errors (VCEALL390)
• Experiment with complex punctuation (VCEALL399)
• Use modelled vocabulary appropriately (VCEALL395)
  

Possible next steps for this student's learning

• Read and rearrange cut up sentences to explain how telephone works (VCEALL389)
• Editing the writing and ensuring clearer noun-pronoun reference, independently or with a same language peer using home language (VCEALA383)  
• Creating a list of informal, everyday vocabulary and subject-specific vocabulary, for example, the sound goes versus the sound travels, including a translation into home language (VCEALA384)

Pathways and transitions considerations

A Year 3 student working within the range of Level B2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.

Student information

The student was born in New Zealand and their home language is Somali. The student began school in New Zealand and came to Victoria in Year 2. The student is currently in Year 3.

Task

The class had been reading a story and retold a familiar story. The student was a very reluctant writer. In this task, the student used the ideas from the story as a stimulus for writing.

Text

Stop taking My Things

I had a little Brother his name was Tim. He takes all my Theings. He rokt my Teddy Bera Baer and my favurfv favourit doll. Then he raipt my homework my techer was corsse. she got a plan to talk talk tim a morster uren my bed tim said show me ok she said. It was sleep-ing she nasr plan that doid don't work.

th her last plal plan do did work

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can:

• Use heading and text formats appropriate to the task (VCEALL387)
• Write creative texts based on models provided or studied in class (VCEALC378)
• Write sentences with some common errors (VCEALL390)
• Use a range of verb forms correctly (VCEALL391)
• Use simple time sequence markers and pronoun references to connect ideas in a text (VCEALL389)
  

Student information 

The student is in Year 3. They were born in Sudan and speak Arabic as their home language. They started school in Foundation in Victoria. 

Task 

The students were learning about fairy tales. The class had read and examined models of narratives and the teacher had shown them how to plan for writing a narrative. The text was written independently and edited by a peer. The student’s plan, draft and final copy is provided. 

The analysis is based on the student’s draft before correction. 

Text 

ORIENTATION 

Once upon a Time, in a Big beautiful forest The lived 3 little fairys. There Lived with There Mum and dad but The wiche was after Then 

COMPLICATION 

The wiche hintis The fariys to kill Thay mothr. Because The fairys mothr killed The wich’s mothr and fothr. She puts a spal on The fairy. She waves her woned rawned and rawned and Said Abrakadab! 

You are going To do what Tall you To do, you are going to kill your mathr! Ha! Ha!

RESOLUTION 

The fairys went to The wich’s house They bot a skret spal. So Ther cood brak The other Spal When The wich is g He por The Poshen into The pot. 

But the Spal did’nt work they Had a nathr spal. they drank the spal so they could have a clone for them saf. The Witch tock the clown and the witch took and killed the clown fairy. The end 

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can: 

• Write using language that is beginning to reflect the features of written language more than the features of spoken language (VCEALA379) 
• Plan, with support, the format of a text according to its communicative purpose (VCEALA381) 
• Plan before writing (VCEALA386) 
• Draft a piece of writing focusing on meaning, and revise after re-reading or discussion (VCEALA382) 
• Use heading and text formats appropriate to the task (VCEALL387) 
• Write simple paragraphs with a logical sequence of sentences (VCEALL388) 
• Write sentences with some common errors (VCEALL390) 
• Use a range of verb forms correctly (VCEALL391) 
• Use simple extended descriptive phrases (VCEALL392) 
• Use a number of common conjunctions to link ideas to create compound and complex sentences (VCEALL393) 
• Select some descriptive vocabulary appropriate to context (VCEALL396) 
• Spell frequently used words with common patterns with increased accuracy (VCEALL398) 
• Experiment with complex punctuation (VCEALL399) 
• Use a small range of software functions to create simple digital texts (VCEALL400) 

Overall, this student can also: 

• Write creative texts based on models provided or studied in class (VCEALC378) 
• Create a small range of texts based on modelling (VCEALA380) 

Possible next steps for this student's learning 

• Using time markers such as next or then to sequence events and create suspense (VCEALL389)
• With teacher support, identifying and correcting recurring spelling errors such as mothr/mother, fothr/father and a nthr/another (VCEALL398) (VCEALA384)
• Creating character profiles by brainstorming adjectives or adjectival phrases to describe the personalities and physical attributes of each character (VCEALC378)
• Incorporating characters, settings or events from stories in their culture in own writing (VCEALA385) 

Pathways and transitions considerations

A Year 3 student working within the range of Level B2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.

Student information

The student is 10 years old and in Year 5. She was born in Brazil and speaks Portuguese. She has had age-equivalent schooling in Brazil and is able to read and write in Portuguese. She has been at an English language school in Australia for two terms and her parents are able to support her to learn English at home. 

Task

Students have been learning about Australia including the states and territories, capital cities and places of interest. Students also looked at voicing opinions (agree and disagree) and supporting their opinions with reasons. For this task students were given the topic as their opinion and asked to write a text to persuade their friends or family to come and visit Melbourne. The class had explored the structure of a persuasive text prior to writing. Key vocabulary was provided on flash cards with pictures. 

The student completed the task independently using the flashcards and text structure discussed. 

The analysis is based on the student’s writing before correction. 

Text

Melbourne Is The Best City! 

In my opinion Melbourne is the best city in Australia. 

You realy need to visit Melbourne because have interesting and beautiful places to visit like Melbourne Museum, Queen Victoria Market, Federation Square, Twelve Apostles, Luna Park and others. 

In Melbourne have delicios multicltural food. It meins has chaines food, italian restuarants and the tipecal foods like pavlova, minties, mornay, lamington and lots of others. You must come to Melbourne because is very safety place. You can walk to the street safely anyone will take your money or hit you, and the peplo here are friendly with the others. 

I kow Melbourne is the best state to live and visit. 

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can: 

• Write using language that is beginning to reflect the features of written language more than the features of spoken language (VCEALA379) 
• Use knowledge of written or spoken home language texts to form new English texts (VCEALA385) *pattern of spelling errors indicates possible transferral of knowledge from home language, for example delicios, meins and chaines 
• Use heading and text formats appropriate to the task (VCEALA387) 
• Write sentences with some common errors (VCEALL390) 
• Use a range of verb forms correctly (VCEALL391) 
• Use a number of common conjunctions to link ideas to create compound and complex sentences (VCEALL393) 
• Use modelled vocabulary appropriately (VCEALL395) 
• Select some descriptive vocabulary appropriate to context (VCEALL396) 
• Spell frequently used words with common patterns with increased accuracy (VCEALL398) 
• Experiment with complex punctuation (VCEALL399) 

Overall, this student can also: 

• Write simple texts that present a point of view (VCEALC377) 
• Create a small range of texts based on modelling (VCEALA380) Possible next steps for this student's learning 
• Using the TEEL framework (Topic sentence, Explanation, Evidence, Linking sentence) to help provide more information in one paragraph (VCEALL388) 
• Using a writing plan based on the TEEL framework to organise the content for all the paragraphs in an essay so that there is a cohesion throughout the whole essay (VCEALA381) 
• Using comparative language and superlative language such as is better than... and has the most amazing... (VCEALL392) 

Pathways and transitions considerations 

A Year 5 student working within the range of Level B2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.

Student information

The student is 10 years old and in Year 5. He was born in Afghanistan and speaks Dari. He has had a few years of schooling in Afghanistan and is able to read but not write in his home language. He has been at a language school in Australia for three terms and both parents are not able to support him in English at home. 

Task

This writing task was a summative task at the end of a unit focusing on the structure and linguistic features of persuasive texts. Prior to the assessment task, students were provided with a checklist with all the linguistic features as a reminder, including modal verbs, sentence openers and adverbs. 

This task was completed during remote learning.

The analysis is based on the student’s writing before correction.

Text

All children should learn to ride a bike 

introduction: In my opinion we all should learn how to ride a bike. 

Firstly, i Think all children should learn to ride a bike because iT is good for body and iT is very good exercise. 

Secondly, I believe That if we learn how to ride a bike we can go to shoping So quickly with our family and friends. 

Thirdly, I strongly believe that if we learn how to ride a bike we can have so much fun and we can ran so fast we can go to another places so quickly. 

Closing sentence for all this reas I Think It will be fun if we learn how to ride a bike. 

This sample of student work demonstrates that the student can:

• Write simple texts that present a point of view (VCEALC377) 
• Write using language that is beginning to reflect the features of written language more than the features of spoken language (VCEALA379) 
• Use heading and text formats appropriate to the task (VCEALL387)
• Write simple paragraphs with a logical sequence of sentences (VCEALL388)
• Use simple time sequence markers and pronoun references to connect ideas in a text (VCEALL389) 
• Use a range of verb forms correctly (VCEALL391) *uses modal verbs and simple present tense verbs
• Use simple extended descriptive phrases (VCEALL392) *uses the adverbs strongly and quickly
• Use a number of common conjunctions to link ideas to create compound and complex sentences (VCEALL393)
• Use appropriate layouts to separate ideas and incorporate visual features in texts (VCEALL397) *creates a separate line for each idea
• Spell frequently used words with common patterns with increased accuracy (VCEALL398) 

Possible next steps for this student's learning 

• Using bilingual writing notes and a planning template to help expand ideas and provide more details when writing (VCEALA386)
• Using a checklist to proofread and edit their own writing, either independently or with a partner (VCEALA382)
• Creating lists of synonyms for different adjectives such as excellent, great, fantastic to expand their use of vocabulary (VCEALL396)
• Practising correct letter size for lower and upper case letters and uses capital letters correctly (VCEALL319) *content descriptor from B1 Writing 

Pathways and transitions considerations

A Year 5 student working within the range of Level B2 in any one language mode is not ready to transition to the English curriculum regardless of their proficiency in the other two language modes. This student will continue on Pathway B of the EAL curriculum in all language modes.